Method ox  manufacttjbing sheet metal



L. C. STEELE Aug. 2, 1932.- METHOD oF MANUFACTURINGHEET METAL Re. 8,551

' originan Fnd 15mn, 15x22 l FIG. 2

Reissued Aug. 1932 UNITED STATES Lawnmcn c. s'ninLn. or Yotnms'rowN. omo i I METHOD F MANUFACTURING Uriginal'lo. 1,588,007, dated Abril 7, 1925, Serial No. f med June 18, 1988.

My invention relates to a method of manufacturing sheet-metal. In the present method of rolling sheets for tin-plate the heated bars are taken from the fum@ inl irs and are passed one at a time in succession through the rolls, the bars bein fed by hand through the rolls and passe back over thev to s of the rolls for three or four passes. T e rolled bars are then 1o matched `by placing one on top of the other, j and are put back in the furnace to be reheated, whereupon they are again brought outand passed together throu h the rolls. Thls heatin of the matchedars and passing them throug the rolls is commonly known as theV run-over ass. The purpose of this last-- y ynamed rol ing o eration is ymore to reduce the thickness of t e pack than to obtainelongation, so that the metal can be doubled by ce and, which is done after this rolling operation. After the doubling, the' pack, which is 4-ply,.is put back into the furnace, reheated, brought out, and repassed the required nu1n ber of timesl through the rolls, when it is A opened (this is done by pulling the sheets apart with tongs), is doubled again to form 8-ply, reheated, and passed through the rolls a sufficient number of passes to bring the pieces to the specified length. The sheets are :o .then sheared into the required sizes and the acks opened by hand, this being required ecause thev sheets have stuck more or less together in the process of rolling... The sheets are then annealed and treated by subsequent operations to obtain the desired product, such f as tinl'ate, sheet-iron, etc.

In t is oldI method of handling the sheets in rolling, the bars, in the lirst instance, when drawn from the furnace, were thrown on the 40 floor, where they were picked up by the roller by tongs -to pass through the rolls. After` the bars 'had been rolled the were matched on the mill-floor, and in t is matching were liable to ick up grease, scale or dirt from said milloor, and as the subse uent doubling was likewise done on the mill# oor, the sheets had further opportunity to pick upl grease, scale or dirt, and in the rolling of t e sheets this forei matter would be rolled into the metal, an when the packs were'separated the 554.573, ma Aira' is, me. Application m mma Serial N0. $17,014.

defects caused by such dirt or scale would show up and the sheets would have to be thrown aside as westers. i

The object of my invention is to provide 'a method of manufacturing sheet-metal which dispenseswith the run-over pass thereby doing away with the timeand expense of the extra heatmg'and vrolling of the metal, and

thereby greatly reducing the cost. A further object o my invention is to eliminate the danger of scale, rease or dirt getting be tween the sheets w en the sheets are matched or doubled on the mill-floor, thereby eatly reducing the waste 'and increasing t e production accordingly for the same amount 'of time and labor expended. Y v

In the accompanying drawing I have i1lustrated suitable apparatus for car 'ng out my im roved method, although it 1s understood t at this apparatus may be modified or changed without affecting the scope of my invention. Fig. 1 of the drawing is a plan view; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

In carryin' out my improved method I employ suitab e heating-furnaces,-such as indicated by the numerals 2 and 3, said furnaces being provided with the doors 4 and 5 respectivel The bars are heated in the furnace 2 .an when withdrawn therefrom are placed on a suitable feed-table 6 which feeds the bars up to the rolls 7. The bars are fed vautomatically to the rolls, and passing through said rolls are delivered on to the catcher 8, illustrated diagrammatically. This catcher consists, generally of the skids 9 to receive the sheet or pack; the rotary carrier 10 which lifts the material from the skids and lifts it up to the conveyer 11 which in conjunction with an endless chain onthe carrier 10 and the'endless chain -12 delivers the material over the top roll to the feed-table '12a to be returned through the rolls. In 'this manner the metal is rolled back and forth throu h the rolls without coming in contact with t e mill-floor until it has been reduced to the proper gauge, whereupon the sheets, after the iinal ass, are delivered to the feed-rolls 13 to be discharged on the feed-table 14 composed of the conveyers 15 which travel at right angles to the .travel of the rolls 13.

.the raised platform 17, where the sheets are matched and doubled. This doubling is prefe'rably done by a doubling machine, such as that illustrated and described in a patent granted'to me March 15, 1910, No. 952,052, although it is apparent that the doublm may be done by hand. The platform 17, eing raised above the mill-floor, is free from the grease, dirt and scale of said mill-floor, and

consequently there is no liability of the sheets getting'any of such grease, scale or dirt between them which results in defective sheets. By my method, up to this point, I am able to dispense with the fun-over pass, as the metal has been reduced in the rolls, without reheating, to a gauge suitable for doubling, so that when the plates are delivered to the platform 17 the matching and doubling takes place as one operation. v The sheets thus matched and doubled into 4ply are then delivered to the feed-table 18 to be delivered into the furnace 3, a supple-` mental feed-table ,19 being employed to lower the plate down through the opening 5 of the furnace. In this way, by having the doubling latform 17 and the feed-table 18 at a proper iieight, there is no interference with the operators workin around on the mill-Hoor below. The doued-pack, after being properl heated in the furnace 3, is withdrawn and elivered to the feed-table 6, which is shiftu ed over in position to receive the pack as it comes from the furnace 3, as clearly indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and the pack is delivered to the rolls to be passed back and forth through the same until reduced to the proper gauge, whereupon the pack is delivered by the feed-rolls 13 to the tables 15 and 16 to be discharged on the doubling platform 17 where the pack is again doubled to 8-ply.

' The pack is again delivered to the furnace 3 to be reheated'and delivered back to the rolls for further rolling, and' when the metal has been brought to the proper length it is thrown out in the rear for coolin While I prefer to do the doubling lat an e evation it may be done on the floor level in the rear of the mill, and carried thence by a conveyer to the furnace without coming in contfact with the milldoor.

. By my method the bars, or the pack rolled therefrom, never come in contact with the mill-floor, and consequently do not pick up the scale, dirt or grease which results in so many wasters, the doubling and matching all being done at an elevation well about the millmaar i i Y what 1 laim ifi:V l1. The -method of manufacturing sheet metal consisting in rollihg the heatedv bars back and forth in the rolls` keepin the metal 2. The method of manufacturing sheet I metal consisting in heating the bars in a furnace, delivering the heated bars from the Ifurnace to the rolls in a plane above the mill-floor, passing the metal back and forth through the rolls keeping the metal from contact with v a gauge for 'matching anddoubling, elevating the sheets to a point above the mill-floor` matching and doubling atthis elevation, and passing the sheets while in elevated `position back to the heating furnace.

3. The method of manufacturingl sheet metal consisting in delivering the heated bars from the furnace to l'the rolls in a planey above the mill-floor, passing the metal back' and forth through the rolls, keeping the metal from contact with the mill-Hoor until reduced to a gauge for matching'and doubling, doubling the metal in the rear of the rolls, and conveying the metal in a plane tmill-floor until reduced to above the mill-oor back to the heating furnace.

4. The method of manufacturing sheet metal consisting in delivering the heated bars from the furnace to the rolls in a plane' above the mill-floor, passing the metal back and forth through the rolls, keeping the metal from contact\with the mill-floor until reduced to agauge for matching and doubling, doubling the metal in the rear of the rolls, conveying the metal out of contact with the mill-door back to the front side of the rolls to the reheating furnace, reheating the doubled pack to rolling temperature, conveying the hot doubled pack from the furnace to ythe rolls and rolling the pack by passing it repeatedly through the same rolls while maintaining the pack out of contact with the mill-floor until the stock lis reduced to the desired gauge.

5. The method of manufacturing sheet metal consisting. in delivering the heated bars in a plane above the mill-Hoor from the furnace to the rolls, passing the metal back and forth through the rolls, keeping the metal from contact with the mill-floor until reduced to sheets of a gauge for matching and doubling, matching the shccts. doubling the matched sheets in the rear of the rolls to form a pack, conveving the pack out of contact with the mill-floor back to the -front side of the rolls to the reheating furnace, reheating the doubled pack to rolling temperature,

conveying the hot doubled pack out of contact with the mill-floor from the furnace to the same rolls and rolling the pack by passing it repeatedly through the same rolls floor bac -fort-h through'the rolls, keeping the metal from contact with the mill-floor until reduced to sheets of a gauge for matching and doubling, matching and doubling the sheets in therear of the rolls to form a pack, conveying the ack out of contact with the millto the front side of the rolls to the reheating furnace, reheating the doubled pack to rolling temperature, conveying the hot doubled pack out of contact with the milliioor to the samerolls and rolling the pack by passing it repeatedly through the same rolls while maintaining the pack out of contact with the mill-floor until the stock is reduced to the desired gauge.

7. The method of manufacturing sheet metal which consists in delivering heated bars in a plane above the mill-floor from a furnace positioned in front of, a roll stand to the rolls thereof, passing the metalrepeatedly through the rollsv while keeping it from contact with the mill-floor until reduced to a `gauge for matching and doubling, doubling the meta'l in the rear of the rolls to form a pack, conveying the doubled pack from the rear of the rolls past the roll stand to a oint in front of the rolls while' keeping t e pack out of contact with the millfloor, reheating the doubled pack to rolling temperature in front of the rolls, conveying the reheated pack out of contact with the millloor to rolls and passing the pack repeatedly' therethrough while maintaining it out of contact with the mill-floor until the stock is reduced'to the'desired gauge. v

8. The method of manufacturing sheet metal which consists in delivering heated bars ina plane. above the mill-floor from a furnace positioned in front of a roll stand to the rolls thereof, passing the Vmetal repeatedly* through the rolls while keeping it from contact with the mill-floor until reduced to a gauge for matching and doubling, doublingv the'metal in the rear of the rolls tol form-a pack, conveying the doubled pack from the rear'of the rolls past the roll stand to a point in front of the rolls while keeping the pack of contact with the"mill{loor, reheatlng vthe doubled pack to-rolling temperature in front of the'rolls, conveying the hotdoubled pack out of-contact with the mill-Hoor from the point in front of the rolls back to the 'same rolls and passing the pack repeatedly through the rolls Vwhile maintaining it out of contact with the. mill-door until reduced 'c to the desiredV auge.

9. The metod of manufacturing sheet metal which consists in delivering heated bars in a plane above the mill-floor from a furnace positioned infront of a .roll standto the rolls thereof, passing the metal repeatedly through the rolls whilel keeping it from contact with the mill-floor until reduced to a gauge for matching and doubling, doubling the metal in the rear ofthe rolls to form a pack, conveying the doubled pack from' the" rear ofthe rolls past the roll stand to a point in front of the rolls while keeping the pack out ofY contact with the mill-floor, reheatin bled pack to rolling temperature 1n front of the rolls, conveying the reheatedpack out of contact-.with the mill-floor to rolls, passing the pack repeatedly therethrough While maintaining it out of contact with the mill-Hoor, again doubling the pack in the rear ofthe rolls and again conveying the twice doubled pack 'from the rear to the front past the rolls while maintaining it'out of contact 'with the ymill-floor, reheating the twice doubled pack at a polnt in front of the rolls, and, while maintaining the hot twice doubled pack out of contact with the mill-Hoor, conveying it to rolls and passing it .repeatedly therethrough until the stock is brought to desired length. l

10. The method of manufacturing sheet metal which consists -in delivering heated the doubars in a plane above the mill-Hoor from a furnace positioned in front of a r'oll stand to the rolls thereof, passing the, metal repeatedly through the rolls While keeping it from contact with the mill-Hoor until reduced to -a gauge for matching and doubling, doubling the metal in the rear of the rolls tov form a pack, conveying the doubled pack from the rear of the rolls past the roll stand to a point .in front of the rolls while keeping the packout of contact with the mill floor, reheating the doubled pack torolling temperature in front of the rolls, conveying the h otV doubled pack-out of contact with the mill-,floor from the point infront of the rolls to the samerolls, passing the pack repeatedly through the rolls while maintaining it out of contact wit-h'the mill-Hoor, again doubling the pack in the rear of the rolls and again conveying the twice doubledV pack from the rear to' the front 'past' the roll stand while maintaining it out of contact with the millfloor, reheating the twice doubled pack at a point in front of the rolls, conveying the hot twice doubled pack back to the same rolls while maintaining it out of contact with the mill-floor and passing .the hot twice doubled pack repeatedly through the rolls whilemaintaining it out of contact with the-millioor las.

until thepack is brought to desired length. j

bars from the furnace to the'rolls in a plane above the mill-floor, assing the metal back and forth through t e rolls, kee ing lthe metal from contact with the milloor until 5 reduced to a gauge for matching and doubling, conveying the metalirearwardly away from the rolls while maintaining it out of contact with the mill-floor, doubling the metal in the rear of the rolls, conveying the l0 metal out of contact with the mill-floor back to the front side of the rolls to the reheating furnace, reheating the doubled pack to roll-l ing temperature, conveying thehot doubled pack from the furnace lto the rolls and roll- ,15 mg the pack by passing it repeatedly through the `same rolls while maintaining the pack out of contact with the mill-floor until the stock is reduced to the desired gauge.y

12. The Imethod of manufacturing sheet `720 metal consisting in delivering heated ars in a plane above the mill-floor, from a furnace to rolls of a roll stand, passing the metal repeatedly between the rolls until reduced to a gauge for matching and doubling, while keeping the metal from cont-act with the milla stand of rolls, passing the metal repeatedly 4* raetween the rolls of the stand while keeping the metal from contact with the mill-floor until reduced to sheets of a gauge for doubling, doubling .the metal in the rea-r of the rolls to form a pack, conveying it out of contact with themill-loor to a heating furnace, reheating the pack, conducting it from the furnace out of contact with the mill-floor to and passing it repeatedly between the rolls of a roll stand until it is brought to the desired 5 gauge and finally putting it aside to cool.

14. The method of manufacturing sheet metal consisting in delivering heated bars in f a plane above the mill-floor', from a furnace to i a stand of rolls, passing the metal repeatedly between the rolls of the stand while keeping the metal from contact with the millfloor until reduced to sheets of a gauge for matching and doubling, matchingfand doubling the metal in the rear of the vrolls.`convey- 50 ing it out of contact with the mill-Hoor to a heating furnace, reheating the pack.l conmaar 15.,The method of manufacturing sheet metal consisting in passing heated metal repeatedly between rolls, matching, doubling, reheating and automatically passilg tle vmatched and doubled metal' repeate tween rolls of a roll stand, the metal ing kept in a plane above the mill floor at substantiall all times while bein .transferred from a urnace to the rolls an while being conveyed to a furnace after being doubled.

16.The `method of manufacturing sheet metal consisting' in automatically passing atedly between two rolls,

heated metal re matching, doub ing, reheating and again automatically passing the matched and doubled metal repeatedly between two rolls, the' metal bein kept in a plane above the millfloor at su stantially all times while bein transferred from a furnace to the rolls an being reduced to agauge suitable for matching and doubling and while being conveyed to a furnace after being doubled.

17. The method of manufacturing sheet metal consisting inpassing heated metal retedlyv between two rolls, matching, douling, reheating and automatically passing the matched and doubled metal repeatedly between two rolls, the metal `leing kept in a 1 plane above the mill-floor at substantially all times while being transferred from a furnace to the rolls and Vwhile being-conveyed to av furnace after being doubled.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signaturethis 8th day of `J une. 1932.

LAWRENCE C. STEELE.

ne i

ducting it from the furnace out of contact withthe mill-floor to and passing it,repeat edly between rolls of a roll stand until it is 65 brought to the desired gauge. Y 

